Farmer to Farmer Education Act

Summary#

This bill amends section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 to add a definition for a "farmer-to-farmer network" and to create a new subsection (j) that supports farmer-led technical assistance. The Secretary may enter cooperative agreements with eligible entities (for example, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, farmer-to-farmer networks, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, local governments including conservation districts, institutions of higher education, States, and others the Secretary designates). The Secretary must give selection priority to entities serving historically underserved producers or those in high-poverty areas.

Entities receiving cooperative agreements must carry out at least two listed actions, such as facilitating farmer access to networks, matching mentors and mentees, coordinating training to build network leader skills, keeping lists of supporting organizations, or administering subawards. Providers should, to the greatest extent practicable, offer language assistance to non-English-speaking participants and must submit an annual report describing conservation activities and any subawards.

Subawards may be made to similar eligible subawardees (including individuals). Subaward funds must be used to plan and run events and develop activities that build farmer-to-farmer network capacity, connect farmers with mentors or group learning, support goal setting for conservation practice adoption on agricultural or forestry land, and to compensate participants at market rates. The Secretary, with the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will set any additional subaward requirements.

Not later than 4 years after enactment, the Secretary must report to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees on funding awarded, results of activities including conservation practice adoption outcomes if feasible, and any outreach practices to consider for other conservation technical assistance efforts. The subsection is to be carried out using such sums as are necessary from annual appropriations for conservation operations of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

What it means for you#

• Farmers and forest owners may gain access to more peer-to-peer networks, mentors, group learning, and events funded through cooperative agreements and subawards.
• Eligible organizations (nonprofits, networks, tribes, local governments, colleges, States, and others) can apply for cooperative agreements to run or support farmer-to-farmer networks.
• The program prioritizes support that targets historically underserved producers and producers in high-poverty areas.
• Participants may be paid at market rates for taking part in events and activities supported by subawards.
• Non-English-speaking participants should receive language assistance to the greatest extent practicable.
• The Secretary must report on funding and results within 4 years.

Expenses#

• The bill directs the Secretary to use "such sums as are necessary" from annual appropriations for conservation operations of the Natural Resources Conservation Service to carry out the subsection.
• Subawards are permitted and must include compensation of participants at market rates.
• No publicly available information on estimated total costs or appropriations amounts is provided in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

• The bill states its purposes are to build capacity for farmer-to-farmer networks; connect farmers with mentors or group learning; support goal setting to increase long-term adoption of consistent, science-based, site-specific practices to achieve conservation objectives; increase technical assistance that meets specific needs and is accessible to different farming models and scales; establish and steward farmer-to-farmer networks; and establish reporting requirements for these activities.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.